2/11/12. The last blog was written at the airport waiting to go to Bogota. I thought it would have been an easy flight except my anxiety levels were sky high when I was handed the visa form. I was told by the Australian consulate that I would be granted a 90 day tourist visa upon entering the country- IF I showed onward journey. So, a week before leaving I bought a 1 way ticket to Quito, Ecuador for January 14 (~70 days from now). When the visa form was handed to me on the plane, it said tourists were allowed 60 days. So, I spent 3 hours sh***ing bricks thinking of all the worst case scenarios. Instead, I landed at 4 and was hopping into a taxi at 4:20. The fastest immigration, bag scan and collection I have ever seen. 90 days granted, no questions asked. I caught the cab to my hostel. Which is situated in a great area. The hostel seems to be a small renovated apartment block run by a Spanish guy who lives there. As a first impression, Bogota is just bizarre

. I can't compare it with anything else. 1 street is run down and slummy and the next has a Marc Jacobs store. If I were president, I would hire people to pick up trash, clean graffiti and fill the potholes. It would make a world of difference - because at the moment there is zero consistency! That evening, I walked a couple of blocks to a mall with a very Colombian food court for some authentic food I forgot the name of... But essential, think a lot of rice, corn, cheese, oil and gluten. I then had a beer at a pub that was playing loud reggaeton music. Me gusta :). I had an early night. 3/11/12: In Lima last week I had contacted some Colombian English students I had added on Facebook -from an English teaching job that was very dodgy. 2 of them had offered to meet me and show me the city, so, at 9am, they met me at the hostel. There ended up being 4 people (2 originals and 2 friends of friends)- and they all spoke English and were extremely nice. The downside, I haven't had any chance to practice my Spanish! I'm still very terrible! We caught a cab to La Candelaria and they showed me the area. The Museo del Oro (El Dorado legend) and some art museums.. Including Fernando Botero- who makes 'fat art'. I may have set off an alarm posing beside a fat lady. I don't know anything about art but the company was great. We then had lunch at a Japanese/Colombian place for some more flavoured rice... Before wandering around town again. I got a lot of tips about cabs, public transport, the do's, the do not's, the where to and the 'keep the hell away from'. I feel like a lot of Bogota is a no go zone lol. That evening, we met another of their friends at 'El Nogal', a very posh 'country club'. We had some empanadas and then some mojitos in the bar... And then another early night :). I was invited to a BBQ tomorrow at one of my new amigos houses too. 4/11/12: Today I checked out a bit more of the town

. It was much quieter being a Sunday. On Sundays they close large stretches of main road for people to exercise. They eat bad, the exercise. Balance. I also attempted the trans-milenio (a really really long bus which was crowded like a Japanese train- and a buseta (a small colourful bus with no suspension). I was holding my pockets and the rail for dear life! That afternoon I went to the BBQ with the same people from the day before- as well as about 15 others. The house was stunning! The food was also great (arepas, Colombian sausages- I don't want to know what's in them- and lots of meat), but the environment wasn't too great.. The other people didn't really have the time of day for me- and seemed very elitist... And pharmacy is not a profession that is held with much esteem here! Nonetheless, I stayed for a few hours, had a few beers, played a few drinking games and then called it a night. 5/11/12: Today is puente. A public holiday. Next week is puente too. And I have been told there are a lot of puentes. Do some work! So I have sent the job emails again.. And looked into some more apartments. I will be checking out a place in Wednesday at 6. In a nice area, but a bit out of town. Thus, today was a very lazy day. Tamale for breakfast (traditional sticky yellow rice and chicken in a banana leaf) , Taco Bell for lunch and then a run at the park (burn off some Taco Bell) and I am currently enjoying some choclitos- lime chips- yum. The weather has been great but I have been advised not to wear shorts. Uh oh. Deal breaker perhaps?